He was disqualified from driving for 14 months and fined £120 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police got a report of a driver speeding in the Marton area on March 5 at 1.40am. Somers was seen driving a Vauxhall Corsa at high speed round two roundabouts before parking in his driveway.

Police repeatedly knocked at his door and rang the bell but Somers did not react. He was then spotted trying to escape out of a side window. A breath test showed 50 micrograms of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

Somers said he had been to watch the boxing on television at The Boar’s Head pub. He added he had drunk two pints, had had little to eat and was taking medication.

Allan Cobain, defending, said his client maintained he had been driving at a proper speed. Since Somers had been looking after his mother he had not socialised much.

He was invited to watch the boxing and did not have a lot to drink, but he was a man of small stature who was underweight since being ill in hospital. He had been unable to work for a year because he was suffering from depression.

A North Shore man facing two allegations of assaulting women has been remanded in custody by the town’s magistrates.

David Budgeon, 33, of Derby Road is accused of one assault in December last year and a second unconnected assault in February this year.

He also faces two allegations of criminal damage to an Iphone and a TV set. He denies both assaults but an application for bail by his lawyer Steven Townley was turned down by justices.

Callum Blundell, 26, criminal damage

A man accused of trashing items at a drinking acquaintance’s Blackpool flat has appeared at court.

Callum Blundell, aged 26, of Sutherland View, North Shore, pleaded not guilty to damaging a window, a door and lock, a television, table and other items.

He was bailed to May 10 for trial by magistrates.

Andrea Jones, 50, drink-driving

A nurse was found to be almost four times over the alcohol limit after visiting the grave of her first husband who committed suicide.

Andrea Jones, who had been drinking vodka, crashed into the back of another car on her way home and once there drank more vodka.

Jones, 50, of Broadway, South Shore, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

She was sentenced to do 60 hours unpaid work for the community, disqualified from driving for 24 months and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Adrian Hollamby, said Jones was driving a Peugeot on Mythop Road on November 29 about 1.45pm, when she hit the rear of a BMW.

Jones went home and police spoke to her there. She said she had drunk some vodka before the accident, but it was not the drink which caused the accident. She added it had happened when she bent down to pick up an e-cigarette in the car.

A blood test showed 290 milligrams of alcohol in her body – 80 is the limit. Jones told magistrates she had been off her medication for four days and started to suffer panic attacks so she bought some vodka.

She said she had had a few swallows of vodka and did not feel drunk when she drove. The driver of the car she had hit was extremely aggressive with her. When she got home she drank the rest of the vodka in the bottle and then passed out.

Jones said: “I have not driven since that day.”

Michael Atkinson, 40, theft

A Fleetwood man has denied stealing a bike worth £1,200.

Michael Atkinson, 40, of Harris Street was bailed to stand trial on May 5. Atkinson also denied theft of £65 worth of razors from ASDA in Fleetwood.That trial will take place on the same date. Blackpool Magistrates bailed Atkinson pending his next hearing.

Imran Khan, 31, harassment

A Blackpool man accused of harassing a woman by sending her 250 texts and e mails in a 12 hour period is to stand trial.

Imran Khan, 31, of Burlington Road, South Shore was bailed by District Judge Jeff Brailsford until his trial at the town’s magistrates court on April 28.

James Hardie, 33, possession of drugs

Illegal drugs belonging to depressed man were found after he took a huge amount of pills in a suicide attempt.

James Hardie was being helped to an ambulance when a police officer noticed a small bag of cannabis on a surface in the kitchen.